Big Island traffic cops: major crashes up nearly 17%

During the week of April 24 through April 30, Hawai‘i Island police arrested 20 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Three of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Three of the drivers were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 337 DUI arrests compared with 354 during the same period last year, a decrease of 4.8 percent.

Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 301 major crashes so far this year compared with 258 during the same period last year, an increase of 16.7 percent.

To date, there have been seven fatal crashes, resulting in eight fatalities, (one of which had multiple deaths); compared with 10 fatal crashes, resulting in 12 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths) for the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 30 percent for fatal crashes, and 33.3 percent for fatalities.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.